Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Fire Dispute, Alain Juppe/Anglo-French Summit, Iraq, War on Terror and PM’s E-Summit Speech.
Fire Dispute
Asked for an update on the fire dispute, the PMOS pointed out that the Deputy Prime Minister was expected to refer to the issue during the Queen’s Speech debate in the House of Commons this afternoon. What he would say would probably not be earth-shattering, but it would be interesting nonetheless.
Asked whether Mr Prescott would be meeting Andy Gilchrist later today, the PMOS said yes. Asked what they would discuss, the PMOS said that they would talk about safety. No doubt Mr Prescott would also take the opportunity to reiterate his view that there should be no further strikes. Asked if Downing Street was optimistic that the eight-day strike beginning on Friday would be called off, the PMOS said that questions regarding strikes were entirely a matter for the FBU. As he had said this morning, we believed that the country did not think it was right to hold another strike. We remained firmly of the view that the way to resolve issues of pay and modernisation was by talking. A strike would not help anything or anyone.
Alain Juppe/Anglo-French Summit
Questioned about the Prime Minister’s meeting today with Alain Juppe, the former French Prime Minister, the PMOS said that it was part of a series of discussions the Prime Minister was having with continental political figures.
Asked if a date had been fixed for the Anglo-French Summit, the PMOS said that discussions were continuing. In the end, however, it was up to the French to decide on a date, which they would no doubt do in due course.
Iraq
Asked repeatedly whether an attack on British and American aircraft in the no-fly zones in Iraq was considered a breach of UN Resolution 1441, the PMOS pointed out that it was a clear violation of existing UN Resolutions - referred to in Resolution 1441 - to fire on UK and US aircraft in the no-fly zones, and as Donald Rumsfeld had said, it was up to the UN Security Council to decide how to react. Put to him that Kofi Annan had said that it was not a violation of Resolution 1441, the PMOS repeated that Resolution 1441 referred to earlier Resolutions. He added that he did not think it helpful to get into theological debates about this matter. The point was that it was a violation of a UN Resolution and it was up to the Security Council to consider what should be done about it. People should not look for splits between the UK and the US where none existed. Rather, they should focus on the fact that Iraq should not be firing on allied aircraft in the first place. They should also concentrate on allowing the Weapons Inspectors to do their job. Challenged that it was UN Resolution 1441 which talked of ’serious consequences’, the PMOS pointed out that the US had already underlined that they did not regard this as a trigger.
War on Terror
Asked if any thought had been given to creating a post similar to that of Head of Homeland Security in the US, the PMOS said he was not aware of any thought having been given to that particular title. He pointed out that Sir David Omand headed up a unit in the Cabinet Office which dealt with the broad issue of homeland security. Put to him that the Opposition Leader had suggested in his meeting with the Prime Minister yesterday that there was a need for a senior political figure to head such a post, the PMOS said he was not going to comment on a meeting which had been conducted on Privy Council terms.
PM’s E-Summit Speech
Asked how often the Prime Minister surfed the internet, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister did not claim to be a great user of internet services. However, that did not subtract from the more fundamental point he had been making in his speech today regarding the importance of ICT for the British economy and also for the future of public services. He believed in ICT and science with a passion, which was why he would return to both subjects on future occasions. Asked if the Prime Minister had ever finished his computer course, the PMOS said that probably the most appropriate answer he could give in the circumstances was ‘no comment’. He thanked journalists most profusely for having just got him the sack.
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